🗺️ Tapping into Local Markets: Google Maps Prospecting in Clay

In today's digital age, not every business has a strong online presence or fits neatly into traditional B2B prospecting methods. At Clay, we understand this challenge, which is why we've integrated Google Maps into our platform. This powerful feature allows you to prospect local businesses that might fly under the radar of conventional outreach methods.

This is particularly powerful for companies that you might not traditionally find on platforms like LinkedIn.

Let's explore how to leverage Google Maps in your prospecting process effectively.

🚀 Getting Started with Google Maps in Clay

While you can access Google Maps through the 'Create New Table' button, we recommend adding it as a new table within an existing workbook for better organization. This approach keeps your data linked and your workflow streamlined.

🎯 Defining Your Search Parameters

When you open the Google Maps integration, you'll need to set a few key parameters:

📍 Location Selection

1. Choose your target area (e.g., New York)
2. Input a specific address if needed
3. Adjust the search radius to cover your desired area

🏷️ Business Type

You have two options for specifying the businesses you're looking for:

1. Free text search for more flexibility
2. Pre-defined Google business categories for more structured results

For example, if you're looking for dentists in Brooklyn, you can select the 'Dentist' category from the business type dropdown.

🔢 Result Limits

By default, Google Maps caps results at 1,000 businesses. This limitation encourages targeted, segmented list-building rather than broad, unfocused prospecting.

‍💡 Maximizing Your Search Results

Once you've set your parameters and initiated the search, Clay will pull in a wealth of information about the businesses in your target area. Here's how to make the most of this data:

1. Filter by Ratings: For quality control, you might want to focus on businesses with high ratings (e.g., 4 stars and above).
2. Analyze Reviews: Use Clay's AI capabilities to extract insights from customer reviews, helping you understand the business's strengths and weaknesses.
3. Enrich Your Data: Look beyond the basic Google Maps data. You might want to investigate:some text
   • Number of practitioners (for service businesses)
   • Services offered
   • Website information (last update, design quality)
   • Social media presence
4. Be Patient: The Google Maps integration may take some time to populate all results. What initially appears as a few dozen listings could grow to hundreds as the data loads.

🎯 Ideal Use Cases

This feature is particularly valuable for prospecting:

• Small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs)
• "Mom and pop" shops
• Local service providers
• Businesses in traditional industries with limited online presence

🔍 From Data to Insights

Once you've gathered your local business data, the real work begins. Use Clay's enrichment tools to add depth to your prospecting list. You might:

1. Identify decision-makers through additional research
2. Analyze website content for pain points or opportunities
3. Cross-reference with other databases to build a more complete picture of each business

🌟 Elevating Your Local Prospecting Game

By combining Google Maps data with Clay's powerful enrichment and analysis tools, you're not just building a list – you're creating a rich, targeted database of potential clients that others might miss. This approach allows you to tap into markets that are often overlooked by traditional B2B prospecting methods, giving you a competitive edge in local markets.

Remember, the key to success with this method is precision and patience. Take the time to refine your search parameters, thoroughly analyze the data, and create personalized outreach strategies based on the unique insights you've gathered. With Clay and Google Maps, you're well-equipped to turn local business data into valuable opportunities.